Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

This fall, in our CSA, we received a couple lovely stalks of brussels sprouts. After seeing them growing on our farm tour earlier this year, T & I had been pretty excited for them to show up in our weekly box of vegetables. When the day arrived, we ogled over the sprouts and the possibilities they held. Brussels sprouts are thought to be named after Brussels, Belgium, where they have long been popular. They are part of the cabbage family, and I would describe the flavor profile as a cross between cabbage and broccoli.

Fast forward one month later...The Brussels sprouts were still living in our fridge, pushed into a long-forgotten back corner. While the idea of them was appealing, neither of us spent a great deal of time planning a meal around them, and thus they passed their recommended storage life, and had to be thrown out.

Don't worry though! This is not the end of the Brussels Sprout Saga. T was soooo disappointed that we didn't get to use our Brussels sprouts, that I had a niggling feeling of guilt for avoiding them. When dinner time came around, I found a recipe I liked the looks of and decided to pick up some fresh sprouts at the store. We were not disappointed. The balsamic reduction and dried cranberries took these sprouts from 'we aren't sure about this' to 'let's have this again sometime'. Enjoy!

Step One: Gather the ingredients.

Step Two: Clean and trim the sprouts. Cut in half for smaller pieces, or leave whole for larger.

Step Three: Line a baking sheet with foil, and toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Step Four: While the sprouts are roasting, make the balsamic reduction. When they are finished roasting, transfer to a serving dish and toss with balsamic reduction and dried cranberries. 

Serve immediately.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BALSAMIC AND CRANBERRIES | Yield: 6 servings | Total Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
1/4 C olive oil
Salt & pepper
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim and clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half (or leave them whole). Arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. You want a glaze consistency.

Remove sprouts to serving dish, and drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle with dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

NOTE: This recipe can easily be doubled if you are serving more people.

On another positive side note, Brussels sprouts have been linked with major anticancer properties, and also contain a chemical that helps to repair DNA in cells and block the growth of cancer. I have to say, that's a pretty solid reason to start eating more sprouts!